Soother clip tutorial

Soother clips are invaluble, we use them for everyday, to keep toys in the stroller, to make sure balnkets aren't lost, to keep a sippy cup off the floor and even to keep soothers handy and clean.
The thing is I alwaays wanted to have 3 or 4 of them and they are not cheap so I started making my own. It's super easy takes about 5 minutes can be done with or without a sewing machine, and each clip costs about $0.70 to make.

All you need is about 10" of 7/8" grosgrain ribbon, a clip, a couple of snaps or velcro, a lighter, a neddle and some thread or a sewing machine.

You can order plastic clips to make your soother clip or you buy metal ones almost anywhere sewing supplies are sold, check the dollar store, they are labeled as suspender or mitten clips.

Step 1 - cut and seal your ribbon
Cut a length of ribbon about 10" long, use the lighter to melt the raw edges of the ribbon so it will not fray.

Step 2 - attach your clip
Feed the ribbon through the slot in the clip, fold the ribbin over the slot an tuck the raw edge under so it is not visible. Sew the fold down using a straight stitch.

Step 3 - finish the other rw edge
fold the other end of the ribbon over about 1/8" from the end, then fold again incasing the raw edge. Sew down this seam with a straight stitch.

Step 4 - add a snap or velcro
fold the loose end under creating a loop to hold the soother, follow the directions for your snap tool to attach snaps or sew on velcro to close the loop.

Options and Cautions
- use a clip on both ends to make sure baby's blanket stays in the stroller
- use a toy link instead of a clip to attach toys to the stroller or infant seat
- to avoid entanglement the finished clip and ribbon length should not exceed 8"
- never use any kind of soother or toy clip in the crib.

Here's the full tutorial in video format, enjoy.

20 minute diaper cover

As you may or may not know, we have our third child due to arrive this June, I've never cloth diapered a newborn before, but since DD developed such a sever allergie to disposables, I don't want to risk using sposies for even the first few weeks this time. Good news is I got to build a newborn stash, bad news is I needed everything and with DH not working I didn't exactly have a great budget for new diapers. I couldn't bring myself to buy a bunch of newborn covers since this will likely be our last baby so I sat down at the sewing machine and this is what I came up with.

So far I've only made newborn covers with this pattern but I think I will make some Large ones soon as DD's medium wraps don't fit over a premium prefold very well and I want some matching for both girls.

20 minute diaper cover

Materials Needed

Sewing machine

Fleece or wool interlock (upcycled wool suit jackets work great) and thread

12" length of 1/2" wide elastic

6 socket snaps and 5 stud snaps and and caps

Snap pliers or press

or

7" loop and 3" of hook aplix or touch tape and your choice of fastener for the cord snap down

Step 1 - make your pattern

I will post the pattern I used once I get it digitized, but in the mean time you can make your own pattern to fit by simply tracing one of your fitted diapers and adding 1 1/2 inches all around. You may find it easier to make a pattern of half of a diaper folded lengthwise so that is fits on a legal sized peice of paper, or you can use a paper grocery bag to make your pattern.

Step 2 - cut your fabric

Cut two peices for each cover. layer the fabric wrong sides together and pin.

Step 3 - sew your 2 layers together

Using a straight stitch on your sewing machine stitch around the outside of your fabric staying as close to the edge as you can. Start on the top edge of the front wings and go around to the other top edge leaving a 4 or 5" opening in the front top edge. Turn fabric rightside out.

Step 4- Elastic

I prefer to make elastic casings vs stitching the elastic directly into a project, mainly because no matter how much I practise I still always end up stitching through the elastic and redering it useless. Elastic casings are just easier and more fool proof for people like me. If you prefer you could stictch the elastic directly in and save a couple of steps, or you can play it safe like I do and sew in 8" elastic casings in each leg opening and a 6" one in the center of the back edge of the diaper cover. Use a safety pin to feed the elastic into the casing. Secure one end of the elastic with a straight stitch. Pull the elastic tight and secure the other end with a straight stitch, trim excess elastic. Repeat for both legs and back edge.

Step 5 - Finish

Top stitch the opening you left in the front of the diaper cover and add your snaps or aplix. I prefer snaps so that is what I've done here. I have placed 7 socket snaps, caps in, along the front edge of the diaper cover, 2 studs, caps out, on each tab, and a single stud, cap in, directly under the center snap of the front in order to secure the cord stump fold down.

If you are using aplix you will attach a 5" strip of loop along the front of the cover, 1 1/2" of hook on each tab and 1" of loop on the inside of the back edge to secure the aplix in the wash. You will also need to attach some sort of fastener to the center front of the cover to create a cord stump dip, that could be a button or a sew on snap or you could even sew it down if you really want too.

Converting Gdiapers from Aplix to Snaps

My newest cloth diaper obsession is the gdiaper. Since we are about to have 2 in cloth I wanted to find something that I could fit more of in a load and the solution turned out to be gdiapers and prefolds. I picked up a small starter set and 2 medium starter sets on sale at London drugs for $26 each and a few good vibes at nature's fair (my local whole foods type market) for $13 each and then filled out my stash with used Gpants I bought from local and online mamas. Since I was searching for the best possible price I got quite a few dipes that had old shot aplix fasteners. I could either replace the aplix with new strips from Gdiaper Head Quarters or I could just convert them to snaps. Since I love any excuse to use my snap pliers I opted for snaps. I had some old and some new style pants to convert, the process is slightly different for the different styles but the basic principles are the same.

Step one - Remove the old aplix strips Simple remove the old aplix using a seam ripper, when you take the aplix off the back of the gpants the little snap tabs that you attach the liners to will come off as well, make sure you don't lose them, stitch them back on with a straight stitch on the sewing machine or just by hand with a needle and thread.

Step two (NS only)- tack down the fold released when the aplix is removed when the aplix is removed you will find a loose flap of fabric at the edge of the elastic waist band, simply tack it back down using a straight stitch on the sewing machine or by hand using a needle and thread.

Step three - measure out the snap placement Using a cloth measuring tape mark out the snap placement. you want 4 studs on each of the back sides and 2 sockets on each of the front tabs. A total of 8 studs on the back and 4 sockets on the front. I space the snaps 3/4" apart on the smalls and 1" apart for mediums or larges.

Step four - Apply snaps Follow the directions for your snap pliers or press to attach size 20 resin snaps. Make sure the snap caps are facing out on the front and in on the back.

Here is the full video tutorial. Happy Snapping.